Sodium/Molybdenum Composite Metal Powders, Products Thereof, and Methods for Producing Photovoltaic Cells

1 . A method for producing a composite metal powder, comprising:

providing a supply of molybdenum metal powder;

providing a supply of a sodium compound;

combining said molybdenum metal powder and said sodium compound with a liquid to form a slurry;

feeding said slurry into a stream of hot gas; and

recovering the composite metal powder, said composite metal powder comprising sodium and molybdenum.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a supply of a sodium compound comprises providing a supply of sodium molybdate powder.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein feeding said slurry into a stream of hot gas comprises atomizing said slurry and contacting said atomized slurry with the stream of hot gas.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein combining said molybdenum metal powder and said sodium compound with a liquid comprises combining said molybdenum metal powder and said sodium compound with water to form a slurry.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said slurry comprises between about 15% to about 25% by weight liquid.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a supply of a binder material; and

combining said binder material with said molybdenum metal powder, said sodium compound, and said water to form a slurry.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said binder comprises one or more from the selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and carbowax.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said sodium compound comprises sodium molybdate and wherein said slurry comprises between about 15% to about 25% by weight liquid, from about 0% to about 2% by weight binder, from about 1% by weight to about 15% sodium molybdate, and from about 58% by weight to about 84% by weight molybdenum metal powder.

9 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising heating the recovered composite metal powder at a temperature sufficient to drive-off substantially all of said binder.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said heating further comprises heating in a hydrogen atmosphere.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said heating in a hydrogen atmosphere is conducted at a temperature in a range of about 500° C. to about 825° C.

12 . A composite metal powder produced according to the method of claim 1 .

13 . A method for producing a composite metal powder, comprising:

providing a supply of molybdenum metal powder;

providing a supply of a sodium molybdate powder;

combining said molybdenum metal powder and said sodium molybdate powder with water to form a slurry;

feeding said slurry into a stream of hot gas; and

recovering the composite metal powder.

14 . A composite metal powder produced according to the method of claim 13 .

15 . The composite metal powder product of claim 14 comprising a Hall flowability in a range of about 30-35 seconds for 50 grams.

16 . The composite metal powder product of claim 14 having a Scott density in a range of about 2 g/cc to about 3 g/cc.

17 . The composite metal powder product of claim 14 , comprising from about 0.2% by weight to about 3.5% by weight retained sodium.

18 . The composite metal powder product of claim 14 comprising less than about 6% by weight retained oxygen.

19 . A method for producing a metal article, comprising:

producing a supply of a composite metal powder by:

providing a supply of molybdenum metal powder;

providing a supply of a sodium compound;

combining said molybdenum metal powder and said sodium compound with a liquid to form a slurry;

feeding said slurry into a stream of hot gas; and

recovering the composite metal powder; and

consolidating said composite metal powder to form the metal article, said metal article comprising a sodium/molybdenum metal matrix.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said consolidating said composite metal powder comprises cold isostatic pressing.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein consolidating comprises pressing said composite metal powder into a shape and sintering the shape.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said sintering is conducted in a hydrogen atmosphere.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein said sintering is conducted at a temperature of less than about 825° C.

24 . The method of claim 19 , wherein consolidating comprises hot isostatic pressing.

25 . A metal article produced by the method of claim 19 .

26 . The metal article of claim 25 , wherein said metal article comprises from about 0.2% by weight to about 3.5% by weight retained sodium.

27 . The metal article of claim 25 , wherein said metal article comprises a sputter target.

28 . A method for producing a photovoltaic cell, comprising:

providing a substrate;

depositing a sodium/molybdenum metal layer on said substrate;

depositing an absorber layer on said sodium/molybdenum metal layer; and

depositing a junction partner layer on said absorber layer.

29 . The method of claim 23 , wherein depositing a sodium/molybdenum metal layer comprises sputtering a target comprising a sodium/molybdenum metal matrix, sputtered material from the target forming said sodium/molybdenum metal layer.

30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein depositing a sodium/molybdenum metal layer comprises:

providing a supply of a composite metal powder comprising molybdenum and sodium;

depositing said composite metal powder on said substrate by thermal spraying.

31 . The method of claim 28 , wherein depositing a sodium/molybdenum metal layer comprises:

providing a supply of a composite metal powder comprising molybdenum and sodium; and

depositing said composite metal powder on said substrate by printing.

32 . The method of claim 28 , wherein depositing a sodium/molybdenum metal layer comprises:

providing a supply of a composite metal powder comprising molybdenum and sodium; and

depositing said composite metal powder on said substrate by evaporation.

33 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising depositing a transparent conductive oxide layer on said junction partner layer.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein said absorber layer comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of copper, indium, and selenium.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein said junction partner layer comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of cadmium sulfide and zinc sulfide.

36 . A method for depositing a film on a substrate, comprising:

providing a supply of a composite metal powder comprising molybdenum and sodium;

depositing said composite metal powder on said substrate by thermal spraying.

37 . A method for depositing a film on a substrate, comprising sputtering a target comprising a sodium/molybdenum metal matrix, sputtered material from the target forming said sodium/molybdenum metal layer.

38 . A method for forming a coating on a substrate, comprising:

providing a supply of a composite metal powder comprising molybdenum and sodium;

mixing said supply of composite metal powder with a vehicle; and

depositing the mixture of the composite metal powder and the vehicle on said substrate by printing.

39 . A method for depositing a film on a substrate, comprising:

providing a supply of a composite metal powder comprising molybdenum and sodium;

depositing said composite metal powder on said substrate by evaporation.